This season Melbourne introduced its first ever international rugby team, The Rebels, to the Super rugby franchise. We had high hopes and as the home games are all played at AAMI stadium - a mere 5 minute walk from our apartment, we were keen to jump aboard the Rebel bandwagon and get supporting. As was the rest of Melbourne.
For a generally non-rugby-supporting city, having 25,000 people show up for the Rebel's first game was testament to Melburnians' obsession with sport... and their staunch rivalry with Sydney - their first game was against the Waratahs. I don't know if it was the shock of 25,000 turning up to watch them or new kid on the block nerves, but they performed dismally. A 43-0 drubbing ensued and I was more than ready to renounce my support on the spot. I dubbed them the Te-rebels.
We decided to watch them play "one last time" against the Brumbies on Friday Crowd numbers were tellingly down 10,000 from the week before but those who didn't show up missed one hell of a game!
After drowning his sorrows and allegedly trying to steal a bottle of spirits from a Chapel Street bar after last week's disgraceful game, Danny Cipriani was on his best behaviour and kicked some stellar penalties. Stirling came through with a great try in the 72nd minute and another penalty kick by Cipriani just before the full time whistle secured the Rebels' victory 25-24. Pretty lucky as S bought a team shirt before the game!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Yarra Valley
I can't believe I've let a month pass without posting anything. I blame late nights at work and the absolute dread I feel when faced with a computer screen at home after a 12 hour day. Things have thankfully calmed down a bit on the work front so here I am.
A few weeks ago we hired another car and headed out to the Yarra Valley- about an hour drive north east of Melbourne, for some wine tasting and general tiki touring. I had been there with the girls on a weekend back in 2008 so had some favourite vineyards that I was keen to revisit.
It was a stunning day - hot and windless. After a couple of tastings at Rochford, we headed to Healesville for lunch in the sun at a pub (the name of which escapes me) on the main strip. Delicious calamari salads and thirst quenching local ciders later, we hit the road again and visited a couple more wineries - Yering Station and Domain Chandon, an outpost of French champagne heavyweight Moet & Chandon. More tastings were had (just by me at this stage, S was relegated to driving duties) and more bottles bought.
We drove a bit further down the road to Yarra Glen, a quaint little town, which we were to discover, is famous for its antique stores. Some small, some warehouse-sized and requiring hours of fossicking for treasures. Some really cool little finds and definitely a place to go back to.
A few weeks ago we hired another car and headed out to the Yarra Valley- about an hour drive north east of Melbourne, for some wine tasting and general tiki touring. I had been there with the girls on a weekend back in 2008 so had some favourite vineyards that I was keen to revisit.
It was a stunning day - hot and windless. After a couple of tastings at Rochford, we headed to Healesville for lunch in the sun at a pub (the name of which escapes me) on the main strip. Delicious calamari salads and thirst quenching local ciders later, we hit the road again and visited a couple more wineries - Yering Station and Domain Chandon, an outpost of French champagne heavyweight Moet & Chandon. More tastings were had (just by me at this stage, S was relegated to driving duties) and more bottles bought.
We drove a bit further down the road to Yarra Glen, a quaint little town, which we were to discover, is famous for its antique stores. Some small, some warehouse-sized and requiring hours of fossicking for treasures. Some really cool little finds and definitely a place to go back to.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Happy 'stralia Day!
Wednesday, 26th January was Australia Day. Having not paid much attention to this holiday in the past, on account of not being Australian, I was intrigued to see how the Aussies celebrated it.
Waitangi Day (the New Zealand version for those non-kiwi readers... of which I have about 2, haha) is usually marked by a bit of controversy near where the treaty was signed, a bit of lying in the sun and having a few drinks.
It turns out the Aussies celebrate their national day in much the same way, minus the controversy and treaty part. Throw in a BBQ (apparently it's tradition to do lamb on the barbie on Australia Day... the whole prawn thing is a myth - and rightly so as it dries them out) and Bob's your uncle. Almost every workmate I asked about their Australia Day, said they went to a BBQ. Some had mulitple BBQ commitments.
What I was surprised by however, was the level of patriotism exhibited on the day. Supermarkets, 2 Dollar shops and the like must make a killing on flags, t-shirt, boardshorts, bikinis, beach balls - you name it. If it had an image of the Australian flag on it, it was worn on Wednesday.
Nice really.
Waitangi Day (the New Zealand version for those non-kiwi readers... of which I have about 2, haha) is usually marked by a bit of controversy near where the treaty was signed, a bit of lying in the sun and having a few drinks.
It turns out the Aussies celebrate their national day in much the same way, minus the controversy and treaty part. Throw in a BBQ (apparently it's tradition to do lamb on the barbie on Australia Day... the whole prawn thing is a myth - and rightly so as it dries them out) and Bob's your uncle. Almost every workmate I asked about their Australia Day, said they went to a BBQ. Some had mulitple BBQ commitments.
What I was surprised by however, was the level of patriotism exhibited on the day. Supermarkets, 2 Dollar shops and the like must make a killing on flags, t-shirt, boardshorts, bikinis, beach balls - you name it. If it had an image of the Australian flag on it, it was worn on Wednesday.
Nice really.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Catfish - see it!
I was lucky enough to get some freebie movie tickets from work a couple of weeks ago for an extraordinary film called Catfish.
I won't tell you any more about it other than it is documentary in style and was brilliant. I'd definitelty recommend a viewing when it comes to your local cinema.
It made me laugh, cry, think, synpathise and shocked me to the core in some parts. Don't try to find out anything about it. Just see it. See it now!
I won't tell you any more about it other than it is documentary in style and was brilliant. I'd definitelty recommend a viewing when it comes to your local cinema.
It made me laugh, cry, think, synpathise and shocked me to the core in some parts. Don't try to find out anything about it. Just see it. See it now!
Image from movienews.com
Sports nuts
We are lucky enough to live, not only close to the "Tan", but also the sports precinct here in Melbourne. Being a 10-15 minute stroll from the MCG and Melbourne Park (Rod Laver and Hisence Arena tennis stadiums) has its clear advantages. No struggle for parking and your drinks are still cold when you get there.
It's been a week of sports spectating for us, with the Australia/England ODI series and Australian Open tennis tournament.
Awesome experiences and great to finally visit the places and watch the sporting spectacles I've seen on Sky Sports and could only dream of attending myself.
We are already looking forward to AFL and Super 15 seasons (not so much the disgraced NRL team...). Melbourne's new Super 15 team will be watched with interest from the stands.
It's been a week of sports spectating for us, with the Australia/England ODI series and Australian Open tennis tournament.
Awesome experiences and great to finally visit the places and watch the sporting spectacles I've seen on Sky Sports and could only dream of attending myself.
We are already looking forward to AFL and Super 15 seasons (not so much the disgraced NRL team...). Melbourne's new Super 15 team will be watched with interest from the stands.
Rod Laver Arena
Local girl, Sam Stosur
Del Portro
Marcos Baghdatis
Jo-Wifred Tsonga feeling the heat at the Margaret Court Arena
Happy punters
Phillip Island
A couple of weekends ago we hired a car again and set out towards Phillip Island. Located in Western Port bay, west of Port Phillip Bay (if you're looking at a map where Melbourne is north of the bay) Phillip Island is a tourist mecca.
People flock (excuse the pun) there to watch the famous "Penguin Parade"; fairy penguins waddling across the sand in the evenings to return to their burrows in the dunes every evening. The various wildlife parks which are home to kangaroos, dingoes and koalas are also a major drawcard for the island.
Phillip Island has some stunning beaches and lovely little towns and is an easy 90-120 min drive from Melbourne.
It was a scorcher the day we visited so the first place we stopped was Woolamai Beach for a swim. The water was a little colder than we'd expected but a welcome refresher from the 37 degree heat on the sand. We lay on the beach listening to the young lifeguard behind us chatting up "chicks" and telling them how he free dives 10 metres for his training.
On to Cowes, the main coastal town which was heaving with cars and people. We need to get back there on a less busy day as it looks lovely, but neither of us was keen to brave the town's car parks in order to park up and walk around the place.
Last stop was Point Grant, The Nobbies and Round Island at the far eastern tip of the island. What looked like (judging by the amount of guano) a million Silver Gulls nest on the island's rookery. Fur seals also inhabit the islands off the main one, although we didn't see any - maybe the sharks were out too. The landscape reminded me a bit of the coast off Cape Agulhas in South Africa. Wild, wind-blown and rugged. A beautiful place. And we even saw a pengiun hiding out in his burrow. A bonus as we weren't planning to stay for the "parade".
A quick stop at a Koala sanctuary rounded off our visit. It's breeding season, for those not infected with Clamydia - yes, it's rife within some Koala populations... you learn something new everyday. Luckily the group we saw were "clean" and we were treated to viewing some perfectly huggable babies. I can see why they were initially thought to be bears.
Smuggling one into my backpack sadly wasn't an option, but we did get some great pics.
I can't wait to get back there to explore more of the beaches and see Cowes properly.
People flock (excuse the pun) there to watch the famous "Penguin Parade"; fairy penguins waddling across the sand in the evenings to return to their burrows in the dunes every evening. The various wildlife parks which are home to kangaroos, dingoes and koalas are also a major drawcard for the island.
Phillip Island has some stunning beaches and lovely little towns and is an easy 90-120 min drive from Melbourne.
It was a scorcher the day we visited so the first place we stopped was Woolamai Beach for a swim. The water was a little colder than we'd expected but a welcome refresher from the 37 degree heat on the sand. We lay on the beach listening to the young lifeguard behind us chatting up "chicks" and telling them how he free dives 10 metres for his training.
On to Cowes, the main coastal town which was heaving with cars and people. We need to get back there on a less busy day as it looks lovely, but neither of us was keen to brave the town's car parks in order to park up and walk around the place.
Last stop was Point Grant, The Nobbies and Round Island at the far eastern tip of the island. What looked like (judging by the amount of guano) a million Silver Gulls nest on the island's rookery. Fur seals also inhabit the islands off the main one, although we didn't see any - maybe the sharks were out too. The landscape reminded me a bit of the coast off Cape Agulhas in South Africa. Wild, wind-blown and rugged. A beautiful place. And we even saw a pengiun hiding out in his burrow. A bonus as we weren't planning to stay for the "parade".
A quick stop at a Koala sanctuary rounded off our visit. It's breeding season, for those not infected with Clamydia - yes, it's rife within some Koala populations... you learn something new everyday. Luckily the group we saw were "clean" and we were treated to viewing some perfectly huggable babies. I can see why they were initially thought to be bears.
Smuggling one into my backpack sadly wasn't an option, but we did get some great pics.
I can't wait to get back there to explore more of the beaches and see Cowes properly.
Woolamai Surf Beach
So that's what Alf from Home &Away is alwasy going on about... "ya flaming Galah!"
Hard to see, but that's a Fairy Penguin
The "Tan"
No, I'm not talking about the golden post-beach-holiday hue every person hopes to get during the summer months, or even better, the winter months. The "Tan", as it's affectionately known, is a beautiful, leafy running track that encircles Melbourne's Royal BoTANical (get it?) Gardens.
This track is so renowned in Melbourne that when asked where we live, instead of saying "South Yarra", I often use the Tan as a point of reference "you know the big hill on the tan...?", I am seldom met with blank expression thereafter.
What a great place to people-watch. Everyone from Joe soap to the top AFL players (tops off) and their blinged up, peroxide-blonde WAG's, run the thing. People DRIVE to the Tan to run it... purpose defeating? Perhaps, but you have to be seen there walking your chihuahua, daaahling.
I've only run it a couple of times, preferring a gentle stroll alongside those sprinting up the hill, only to jog down and sprint up again. S is more committed though, running a couple of the 3.8km laps a few mornings a week before work.
The weather doesn't seem to deter people either. It could be pouring down, freezing and blowing a gale, and people are still out there, slogging away. Madness!
It really is beautiful though, so who can blame them?
This track is so renowned in Melbourne that when asked where we live, instead of saying "South Yarra", I often use the Tan as a point of reference "you know the big hill on the tan...?", I am seldom met with blank expression thereafter.
What a great place to people-watch. Everyone from Joe soap to the top AFL players (tops off) and their blinged up, peroxide-blonde WAG's, run the thing. People DRIVE to the Tan to run it... purpose defeating? Perhaps, but you have to be seen there walking your chihuahua, daaahling.
I've only run it a couple of times, preferring a gentle stroll alongside those sprinting up the hill, only to jog down and sprint up again. S is more committed though, running a couple of the 3.8km laps a few mornings a week before work.
The weather doesn't seem to deter people either. It could be pouring down, freezing and blowing a gale, and people are still out there, slogging away. Madness!
It really is beautiful though, so who can blame them?
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